Hallowe’en? Through the centuries, the Church has used every means possible to help others to know Christ. In the conversion process, the use of celebrations common to the people was most helpful. This process is called "enculturation." Many pagan signs and symbols which carried insight to a deepening understanding toward conversion were used. One of these celebrations was a Druid custom of celebrating the dead returning from their graves to walk the earth as a form of "ancestor worship" and to celebrate their new year. While this does not follow the Christian understanding of the use of the grave, it did help in obtaining the attention of the pagans in their understanding of life after death, particularly the resurrection and the Communion of Saints. So, rather than encouraging an erroneous cult, the Church encouraged practices that would spread the Gospel and our hope for full Communion with those who have gone before us who have attained full perfection in Christ and of His Kingdom. Rather than dressing up as ghosts, goblins, walking dead, witches and things that are signs of cults or the netherworld, we at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church continue to support the Christian custom of spreading the Gospel through costuming as those who have been successful in serving God. This year we should like to encourage the children of our parish to continue this practice by dressing up as saints, angels, and biblical characters who participated in God's plan of Salvation, which leads to the celebration of All Saints. In the same manner that we celebrate Christmas Eve and Easter Vigil, we would encourage our children to participate in the Eve of All Saints, commonly known as Halloween (from the former title "all Hollows Eve" or "Eve of all Hollows, Eve of all that is Holy"). It is in one respect a second celebration of Easter, "our" Resurrection. Since parents are the "first teachers" of their children, and since we still have time to plan, we strongly encourage parent support of this project and will support any enthusiasm they instill in their children in their Christian education. It may mean doing a little research to help the children become aware of some "new" saints, but as an investment of the Kingdom and the future of the Church, we hope that all will be just as enthusiastic. We will be having a party as in the past two years with prizes for the Most Original Saint and the Best Costume of a Saint. We will also encourage the children to come to mass on All Saints Day, which is a Holy Day of Obligation, to come to mass in their costumes. Let’s Share our faith. Let’s act on our true convictions rather than compromise with worldly ways. This is OUR Holy Day!